Applicator for heat manipulation of the eyes



March 20, 1951 C. C. CURTIS APPLICATOR FOR HEAT MANIPULATION OF THE EYES Filed June 8, 1948 a. 91 10* PG gwuontov CEgzn. CLAUD CURT1S Fae. I.

Patented Mar. 20, 1951 APPLICATOR FOR HEAT MANIPULATION OF THE EYES Cecil oiaua Cilrtis, Washington, D. 0. Application June 8, 1948 ,'Serial No. 31,675

invention relates-to anapplicator for heat or -cold manipulation ofthe eye in securing a rigindfortir g or easyfeeling thereof as in cases of ongestion, by manipulationof the eyelid and/ or ball of the eye, attended by heat or cold or alternative treatments-under heatand cold-to i p o the blood lcirculationthrough the eye-or the freedom' of the Y muscles controlling-the shifting; movemerits ofthe eye.

In a-companion application for patent, exeouted of even date herewith, the relatively comprehensive or broad invention underlying the manipulator of the instant invention in reference to] heat or cold treatments, as well as, in a more specific application also executed of,,,even da e herewith, devoted to a heating mean" pecifically, the phases of the structure apart frgrn eye treatment are claimed. Differentiated from the same the present case will include claims -to the eye treating phase exclusively. w l u I The object of the instant case is totprovide an implement capable of easy grasp or gripping in thehand of the operator, carrying either a heating or cooling medium, accessible to? the interior of a treating head carried by the grip or handle,

2 Claims. (01. 128-399) said head being constituted to enfold or en ageover the eye lid with a pressure as exerted by the operator and shifted or movedwith the engaged lid while manipulated to roll or move the eyeball, simulating a massaging function, whereby "such action under the desired thermal or cold influence as the case may be, will stimulate the blood circulation to the eyeball and normal muscular movement of the eye 'to benefit the ailing conditions thereof.

The invention further comprises the special shaping of the lip or edge of thefengaging face of the treating member to secure -aj firm grasp of the surfaces or member or members being treated; and ;a means of communication between the interior of the treating member afnd the interior of the ihandle or grip containing-the heating or cooling medium whereby, at leastgin the instance of heated air, the same may be delivered in contact with the eye lid to correspondingly transmit heat thereto and adjacent parts of the eye.

Still another feature of the invention comprises the provision of differently colo' d discs or inserts of transparent plastic in implement casing in proximity o. an electric light bulb, for example, so that when'the implement is being used in connection with" heat treatment the illumination or glow may qbe seen through these discs or inserts, indicating the operative state of the implement. Importantly here, these differently colored discs or inserts are intended for use under the illumination thereof in testing the eyes as to color, in ascertaining what is commonly called color blindness. When performing that function, however, the instrument will, of course, be held away from the patient, that is, not in contact with the eye as hereinbefore prescribed in the treating of the eye.

Inthe accompanying drawings the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in connection with both heat and cold applications, and the same will be readily understood from an inspection f of said drawings in connection with the specification hereafter contained.

In the said drawings:., 1'

Figure 1 is an outside "view of the complet devicej i Figure 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view through the same combined with the cartridge or container therewithin for delivering a cold .medium to the operating head.

Figure Bis a similar view of a slightly modified form associated with a heating medium located interiorly of the device.

Figure 4'is a side view of the removable threaded or head member of the device.

Figure 5 is a longtiudinal sectional view of the member shownin Figure 4. 1

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts in the several views 6 represents the handle or grip portion of the device, the same being hollow or tubular to present a passage 1 longitudinally therethrough from its inner end to a relatively enlarged chamber 8, for the reception of a cartridge or container 9, for a cooling medium, extending into a hollow or dome-shaped head 9' connected to the grip or handle I by a threaded connection I 0 permitting an adjustment between the head portion 9' and grip I to oppose a breakable sealing cap ll against a pointed 01' beveled deflector l2, at the top of the dome to eifect opening of the container 9 and the escape of the cooling contents therefrom to the dome when it is desired that an eye piece l3, projected above and integral with the dome, be manipulated in cold state.

The eye piece l3, with its integral carrying dome or head member 9, is formed of steel or aluminum or other suitable metal. The eye piece is generally of oval outline or contour conforming to the shape of the eye to be treated and dished or concaved in its interior, as at H, the working or engageable surrounding rim or edge portion being beaded as at 15 to afford an inwardly diseffect heating of the latter.

posed edge portion I 6 to contact the eye lid, when the implement is manipulated under light pressure to that end, to manipulate the eyeball in keeping with the movement of the implement. In this manner an ailing eye under treatment will be eased and stimulated and the circulation of blood through the eye, as Well as the easing of the muscles of the eye, accomplished. The head or dome 9' has small escape apertures l! to permit the eventual exhausting of the cooling medium delivered to the dome and eifective on the eye piece l3.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, a heating medium for the dome or eye piece is illustrated, the same comprising the cylindrical grip or handle l8, containing a heating means l9, comprising an insulating body' held in I the grip or handle l8 between a shoulder 20 in said grip and a removable threaded ring 2[ engaged with the outer end of the handle, the tubular member l9 being designed to contain the customary or preferred electric wiring (not necessary to be illustrated herein) supplying current to a lamp comprising an incandescent light bulb 22, arranged to project at least in part into the dome or-head 23, formed like and similar in shape to the dome 9' of the embodiment of Figure 2 with this variation: r L I H Instead of having a means in the dome to upset or break the seal of the cartridge or container 9 and completely closing the top of the dome (Figure 2 the present instance (Figure 3) may have an aperture 24 permitting heat from the lamp 22 to pass into the eye piece 25 to heat the eye lid when the implement is applied thereto and manip'ulated inaddition to having the heat from the lamp conducted through the metal of the sides and top of the dome and to the eye piece 25 to formed with an inwardly disposed bead 26 at its engaging edge and has the concaved formation and ovalcontourhereinbefore described in the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2. There is also a small outlet or bore 21 from the interior of the dome, if and when found expedient.

In either or both of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, as hereinabove set forth and where the heating element is through the medium of an electric lamp or The eye piece is equivalent, it is useful to provide the dome 9 or 2 3 with inserts at spaced intervals around the dome in-me nature of differently colored transarent discs 28, having screw-threaded engage- 4 ment with complementary threaded apertures 29, passing through the dome wall whereby the light or glow from the lamp 22 will shine through the transparent discs 28 and illuminate the respective colors provided thereby, advantageous in the testing of eyes for so-called color blindness, etc.

At the inner end of the handle or grip 6 of the for-m'shown n Figures 1; and 2 there is provided a valve plug 30, for the purpose of enabling the use of a storage medium located remote to the implement, to be used if desired in lieu of a cartridge' or container 9 containing carbonic acid gas, for example, but inasmuch as this member 30 constitutes the subject matter of one of the other applications hereinabove referred to at the outset of thisspecification the details of the same will not beillustrated or described herein.

' I claim:

1. An eye treating implement comprising a hollow handle for containing a battery and an electric lamp, an elongated closure cap of heat" can: ducting materialhaving threaded engage I with the handle into which a part of the lec ric lamp extends to transmit heat to'the walls of said cap, and an eyecup of heat conducting material integrally formed with the cap to conduct the heat from the cap to the eye being treated, said cap being provided with openings therein to permit the free circulation of air into the cap, through the same and into said eye cup.

2 A n eye treating implement comprising a hol low handle containing a battery, an electric heat irig element in circuit with the battery, an elongated closure cap or heat conducting material -hatingthreaded'engagement'with the handle into whichlthe electric heating element extendsft'o transmit heatto the walls of the cap; and an'eye cup of heat conducting material formedinte'grally with the cap to conduct the heat from the cap to Number Name Date 963,933 ONeill July 12, 19K) 1,388,621 Umbsen Aug. 23,1921 1,731,50g Robinson Oct. 15, 1929 2,183,726 Somme! i; a1 D80. 19, 1939 

